Head Start Parents’ Views on Family-Centered Care: A Research to Practice Summary

This study looked at components of Head Start parent-teacher relationships: teachers’ knowledge and use of family-centered practices. Specifically, the purpose of the research was to examine the perspective of Head Start parents and to better understand their classroom experiences as they relate to family-centered care. Family-centered classroom practices and family-specific knowledge are two important components of developing effective parent-teacher relationships. The study used a national sample of Head Start teachers and parents. Results suggest that parents and teachers tend to agree consistently on their perceptions of family-centered practices and responsiveness, across a variety of classroom settings. These results point to the importance of continuing to support teachers’ professional and family-specific substantive knowledge in order to promote positive relationships with families.